On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a grand Hindu Ram temple in Ayodhya city, replacing the historic Babri mosque that was demolished by Hindu extremists in the 1990s.
The destruction of the 16th-century mosque led to nationwide riots resulting in nearly 2,000 casualties. The inauguration ceremony, known as Pran Pratishtha, was attended by a large number of guests, including film stars and cricketers.
However, most of the Indian opposition boycotted the event, accusing the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) of using it to garner votes in the upcoming general elections.
The temple’s construction, funded by private donations, cost $217 million. The televised ceremony showed Modi conducting religious rituals inside the temple, with only the ground floor currently open, while the entire structure is expected to be completed by year-end.
In September 2020, a court in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh acquitted all 32 accused, including former Deputy Prime Minister L. K Advani, involved in the attack and demolition of the Babri mosque.